


Psychic Coin

by TheMadThing



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Beach Divorce, Eventual Happy Ending, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, M/M, No Beach Divorce, Post Beach Divorce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2016-04-07
Packaged: 2018-04-10 20:26:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4406357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMadThing/pseuds/TheMadThing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which being linked to Shaw's mind as he dies has devastating consequences for Charles' mental control and things progress from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beach

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MountainRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MountainRose/gifts).



> Is it possible to ship these guys, be a writer and not write a beach divorce fix-it? Probably not. Hope you enjoy. Gifted to MountainRose because she is amazing and I love her and this is the best way to show it that I could think of. Also, to my friend Ellie, for being so enthusiastic about the first draft on camp and motivating me to write. I apologise for the lack of gunfights, kidnappings and traitors. ;)

 

The pain was like nothing he'd ever felt. It was like it was his brain being torn through; his mind so closely linked to Shaw's that he could barely tell which sensations were his and which were not. Then it was over but he barely had the strength to free himself from Shaw, to stagger away, out of the plane to the beach. His mind felt open, raw and he could feel everyone's thoughts around him like he hadn't since he was a child. He couldn't focus, couldn't distinguish from spoken words and silent thoughts and it was all too much. He could feel every one of those thousands of lives, feel their fear and confusion.

                _Please Erik don’t I can’t take it,_

Trying to stop him and then there was only pain.

                “You promised you would never read my mind,” Raven, _sad, disappointed._

                “I promised you a great many things I’m afraid my dear,” _but I’m sorry I can’t stop it please forgive me,_ he tried to say but she didn’t hear, she didn’t hear and he had no energy to make his mouth work to try again. All he could do was kiss her hand and hope she would forgive him. Then Erik was about to go and Charles could only scream into the void where Erik’s mind should have been. Erik of course felt nothing but Charles had no control and the effect on the others at the beach was mark and debilitating. Azazel vanished in his red smoke leaving the others stranded. Raven fell to the ground, hands over her ears, skin rippling and changing constantly. Angel clasped her hands to her head and took flight, spitting fireballs, trying to get away. Hank howled and Sean screamed, adding to the cacophony and Alex, Moria and Riptide fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Only Erik remained unaffected and he stood still for barely a moment as chaos erupted around him before he threw himself across the sand to Charles, scooping him from Moria’s now limp grasp, ignoring his gasp of pain.

                “Charles, Charles, I’m here, Charles, please calm your mind,” he said, unconsciously echoing Charles’ first words to him, “Charles, please, please calm down Charles.” But locked away inside his mind Charles was unaware of Erik’s words. With great trepidation Erik removed his helmet and cast it aside. The mental scream slammed into his head in a debilitating rush, echoing and intensifying the cries from Hank and Sean. Gritting his teach Erik reached out to Charles once more.

                “Charles, please,” he choked out, unable to say more due to the force invading his head, but deep inside his mind Charles felt his appearance and the scream died off as he slowly opened his eyes.

                “Erik?” he whispered.

                “I’m here, I’m here,” Erik almost sobbed.

                “Stay,” Charles pleaded, weakly catching at his sleeve, “Don’t go.”

                “I won’t, it’s alright now, I won’t.” Tear rolled down Erik’s face as Charles clung on weakly, holding Erik as tightly as he could. “I’m so sorry.” Charles’ eyes closed again and he drifted into unconsciousness. Erik looked up quickly at movement in his peripheral vision, but it was only Moria.

                “We need to get him to hospital,” she reminded him. Erik nodded and glanced over to where Azazel had reappeared. Azazel nodded and walked over to them.


	2. Waking or Sleeping, Your Presence My Light

When Charles came back to himself in the hospital he nearly screamed. The force of so many minds, worries, fears, hopes pressed in on him, blinded him and stopped him from breathing. He let out a strangled whimper and got nothing in return.

 

Half dozing, Erik heard the whimper, his eyes snapping open at the sound of Charles, his Charles, in pain. He was by his side in an instant, holding his hand, trying to reach him as Charles stared with wide open, glazed eyes at something only he could see.

                “It’s alright Charles,” he murmured, hoping her would be heard, “It’s alright, I’m here, it’s alright.”

 

The next time Charles came round there was only blessed silence, both mental and aural. As he lay in the darkness, trying to work out where he was and what had happened he felt a mind nearing him, metallic, sharp with concern. Erik. But how? The door opened and Erik entered, carrying a tray. When he noticed that Charles was awake he cast the tray aside, barely taking the time to land it safely before he was at Charles’ side, kneeling on the carpet by the bed.

                “How do you feel?”

                “Pretty exhausted. What happened?”

                “What do you remember?” Charles went quiet for a moment, his eyes un-focusing slightly.

                “The plane, Shaw, the, the helmet, the c- coin,” he was struggling to get the words out, “The missiles, the, bullet and you, you left.” His voice cracked and broke, off, a tear rolling down his cheek before he brushed it away angrily.

                _Sorry, sorry I just-_ Erik pressed a finger to Charles lips in an attempt to stem the flow of thoughts. Surprisingly it actually worked.

                “I shouldn’t have considered leaving you.” He whispered to Charles, “I nearly lost you and I know now that I can’t lose you. Not ever. I love you.”

                “You-,” _You love me?_

“I do.” A warm flood of happiness and love flooded through him, projected from Charles and Erik smiled as Charles’ eyelids fluttered closed and he lapsed back into unconsciousness.

 

When Charles woke again he felt more coherent, and he thought that having Erik still there by his side was probably helping with that.

                “How do you feel?” Erik asked again.

                “Better. I would like to go outside though.” Erik tensed, dreading what he knew he had to say next. Charles easily felt his change of mood. “What’s wrong?” he asked, scared now. Erik braced himself.

                “The bullet that hit you… It hit your spine. The doctors did their best and we found a healing mutant but there was nothing we could do. I’m so sorry Charles.” All the pain and grief welled up in Charles and suddenly Erik couldn’t move as the mental wave crashed over him, and mental scream of anguish. He tried to reach through the crushing mass to communicate with Charles, to calm him but he was pushed back by the force of the mental projection. All he could do was wait for it to be over.

                Finally it subsided, rolling back into Charles as he regained control again, and guilt took its place.

                “Forgive me Erik,” Charles began, but Erik interrupted him.

                “It’s not your fault,” he told him, “It’s not, it’s mine, it’s my fault.” He held Charles close to him, trying to comfort him and Charles clung to him, using Erik to ground himself. After what seemed like an age Charles pulled away slightly and looked up at Erik.

                “Can we…” his voice trailed off and he used his mind instead. _Space, air, trees, sunlight_ Erik nodded.

                “Of course.” Erik carefully carried Charles to the wheelchair in the corner of the room and began to wheel him outside. The stair stalled Charles a little but Erik simply used his power and they were soon outside in the fresh morning air. Charles sighed quietly in relief and some of the tension went out of his shoulders. They continued along the path that led around the house breathing in the crisp air as they went. It was a beautiful day and eventually Charles felt calm enough to ask a question that had been on his mind since he had woken up.

                “Where is everyone?” he asked.

                “They went away for a while,” Erik told him, “We didn’t want too many minds around when you woke up.”

                “I would like to see Raven,” Charles said.

                “Are you sure?” Erik asked, unsure if he was ready or not yet.

                _I am ready_ Charles told him.

                “Raven won’t thank you for pulling tricks like that,” Erik warned him.

                “Like what?”

“Going in people’s heads.” _He doesn’t realise he’s doing it oh god._

                _Oh god I’ve lost control Erik I’ve lost control._ Charles was dangerously close to panicking. Erik knelt down in front of him and took Charles hands in his.

                “Charles listen to me, you will learn how to control it again. You did it once, you can do it twice.”

                “But it’s grown so much,” _desperation fear panic_

                “You won’t be alone. You hear me? You’re not alone Charles.” This succeeded in calming Charles somewhat and they continued around the house.


	3. To Make a House a Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it's been so long since I updated. I have no excuse this has all been written out since the summer. I just forgot. However, New Years Resolution to get on and finish this damn project asap, so expect more updates in the near future. This one is short, I know but more will appear soon, promise

That evening, when Charles was asleep, Eric called Raven and explained the situation to her. To his surprise she agreed to come and help him to help Charles because, as she put it,

                “I helped him the first time so I can help again the second.”

                The next morning she arrived and Charles greeted her eagerly, just about managing to speak out loud to her. She pulled him into a tight hug.

                “I’m sorry,” she whispered to him, “I shouldn’t have left.”

                “You did what was right for you,” he reminded her gently, _and I gave you my blessing._ Raven tensed but forced herself to relax. Charles still noticed, of course, and pulled back slightly, carefully speaking aloud.

                “Forgive me, I - ,” Raven silenced him with a finger on his lips.

                “That’s why I’m here,” she told him.

 

~~~~~~~

Unfortunately that was easier said than done. When they’d been young the problem had been helping Charles to stretch out his mind while keeping control, and now they were trying to reel it back in. After a few days though Raven had an idea, reasoning that gradually introducing minds to the immediate vicinity should help Charles rebuild his mental shields, beginning with the most familiar minds, and building up to strange ones. As well as that they would encourage him to speak out loud, to help him relearn to distinguish between the two again. To this end Hank, Sean, Alex and Angel gradually moved back in to the mansion over the course of a few weeks, having been prepped on what to expect. At first Charles struggled with blocking these new minds and relied heavily on Eric’s presence to shield him mentally and support him physically but eventually he found he was able to revert to his old state of picking up only surface thoughts, so Raven invited Emma Frost, Azazel and Riptide to join them, to see how Charles would cope with these relatively unfamiliar minds, though in the end only Emma accepted.

                A day or two after Emma moved in Raven overheard her and Charles talking in the library, though she didn’t manage to hear what they were talking about before she heard Charles moving towards the door and hurried away, so later at dinner she asked him about it.

                “What were you doing with Emma in the library earlier?” she asked.

                _She was –_

“Words,” Raven reminded him.

                “She was giving me some assistance with my shields,” he explained.

                “Did it help?” asked Eric from the other side of Charles where he’d been listening in.

                “Yes,” Charles told them, “I feel I may soon be ready to go out in public.”

                “That’s a big step,” said Eric, ever the concerned boyfriend. Charles took his hand.

                “I know, but it’s something I must do or I will spend the rest of my life locked away here.” _And then the school..._

                “School?” asked Raven, confused. Charles looked a little embarrassed.

                “I want to open a school for mutant children, to teach them to control their powers and so they are safe. We’ve got plenty of room here.”

                “Who would teach them?”

                “We would. I’m sure we can do it, given time.”

                “Time is something we have plenty of,” Eric agreed, “Count me in.” Raven nodded.

                “And me.”


	4. Going Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wohoo, I managed another chapter! Again, short, but it is surprising sometimes how short things turn out to be after seeming quite long when hand written

                It was a few weeks later that Charles decided he was ready to go into town. They picked a Sunday afternoon to go, when there should be few people around and about. The weather was warm and sunny so Raven and Sean made a picnic to eat in the town park. Everything went fine until half-way through lunch, when Charles suddenly grabbed Eric’s hand.

                “What is it? What’s wrong?” Eric asked urgently.

                “People, lots, coming,” Charles was breathing heavily, struggling to get the words out.

                “I think it’s some sort of festival,” Emma told them. Eric swore.

                “How did we miss that?”He held Charles’ hand tightly, trying to ground him. Raven took charge.

                “Eric, Emma, take Charles somewhere quieter, we’ll clear up here and join you.” Eric nodded and they steered a now very pale Charles out of the park.

                “Remember what I told you,” Emma said to Charles, hoping he could hear her, “visualise, build methodically.” Charles nodded slightly, eyes distant, trying to focus. In a few minutes they were well away from the park and some colour began to return to Charles’ face as his death grip on Eric’s hand relaxed.

                “You okay?” Eric asked him quietly. Charles nodded.

                “I will be.” Eric leaned down and gently pulled him into a hug, planting a kiss on the top of his head. They stayed like that for a long time.

 

~~~~~~~

Strangely the only person who wanted to try again after that was Charles himself. Both Raven and Eric protested strongly, arguing that a situation like last time clearly couldn’t be predicted and after how drained Charles had been it would be foolish to try again. Charles argued that of course it couldn’t be predicted, life couldn’t be so if he ever wanted to be free to leave the mansion he had to get used to that. It took a few weeks but eventually Charles won and they scheduled another excursion, this time to the town itself instead of the park. There were quite a few people around and Charles help Eric’s hand the entire time but with that grounding he was able to charm shop assistants, and speak aloud to the others. They did this several more times and each time it felt easier until Charles felt ready to start physical therapy. He found it tiring and frustrating but afterwards, back at the mansion he and Eric would link minds carefully, and make plans for the school and recruitment. Charles always looked forward to this time, both as a chance to realise his dream and to get to know Eric again. The months Charles had been ill had changed Eric, had a sobering. He had become less prone to using violence as a solution, recognising the damage this could do to his loved ones in what had happened to Charles. They often played chess together too, which was a double exercise for Charles, in a way, trying to predict Eric’s moves without reading his mind to do so, a tricky exercise that did become easier over time.


	5. Recruiting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wood scene is all my friends fault, I never can resist her pleas for chase scenes lol ;)

The first mutant they recruited was completely unplanned. They had been going to wait longer, until the school was properly set up for pupils but one morning Raven came bursting into the study with a newspaper.

"Have you seen this?" she demanded.

"Seen what?" Charles asked, curious and concerned. For an answer Raven slapped the paper down in front of him. The headline read "MUTANT DESTROYS HOUSE" and and the picture showed a house in flames, almost burnt to the ground. Charles scanned the article, expression grim. It seemed a mutants powers had developed unexpectedly, with devastating results, and though the article was frustratingly vague it seemed that the mutant had a power very similar to Alex's plasma blasts. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw the name - Scott Summers. Charles carefully reached out to Alex with his mind as Erik took the paper to read for himself.

_Could you come to my study a moment please_

_Sure, why?_

_It's better that I tell you in person_

_ok_

Alex quickly appeared, looking worried, having clearly picked up on the concern in Charles' mind.

"What is it?" Erik silently handed him the paper. His face paled as he read it.

"Scott," he whispered, voice barely audible, even in the silence of the study.

"Your brother, isn't he?" Charles said, though it wasn't really a question. Alex nodded anyway.

"We have to help him."

"Of course we will. Once I've found a location we'll go straight there and find him."

"How are you going to do that?" asked Erik, suddenly knowing where this was going.

"Cerebro."

"No." Both Erik and Raven spoke at once.

"It's too soon."

"You're not ready."

"Too dangerous."

Charles raised a hand for quiet.

"Please, just trust me. I can do it. I have to do it."

"Famous last words," muttered Erik, but there was no real bite in it. Charles raised an eyebrow at him.

"if we're going to do this can we please get on with it?" asked Alex, "Before anyone else finds Scott first."

"Yes of course. Come on Erik, I'll need a hand with those stairs, since we haven't got that lift yet."

Once in Cerebro, hooked up to the device, Charles stretched out his mind and searched for Scott Summers. He soon found him, huddled in a patch of woodland, under a tree, cold, scared and trembling. He gently reached out to Scott's mind.

_Hello Scott_

_Who are you? How are you doing that?_

_I'm a mutant, like you. I'm a telepath. I can help you._

_How?_

_I'm starting a school for people like us. I'd like you to join._

_I'm too dangerous!_

_That's what your brother said._

_Alex?_

_Yes. Stay where you are, we're coming to find you._

_Alright. Please hurry._

Charles pulled away and removed the helmet.

"I've found him. He's waiting for us." Alex grinned in relief.

"Let's go then!"

~~~~~~~~~~~

They arrived at the woods as night was falling. They had decided that Charles, for obvious reasons, would stay in the car, and Emma would as well, so they could use their combined power to help without distraction, while Alex, Raven and Erik would search the woods for Scott. They searchers set off with torches and Emma and Charles carefully extended their reach over the woods, combining their abilities to create something massively powerful. They soon located Scott and were directing the search party to him when Charles realised that something was very wrong.

_We're not the only ones here tonight._

_Who?_

_CIA_

Erik swore quietly.

_What do we do?_

_Find Scott, get back. We'll sort them._ Emma told him.

 _Be careful._ Charles added.

_Okay._

Soon they could hear the agents moving through the woods nearby, clearly also searching for Scott. They turned off their torches and continued in the dark, grateful for the advantage of two telepaths and a definite location. It took only a few minutes for them to find Scott, huddled under a tree with his eyes tightly closed to stop his power bursting out again. Alex crouched down next to the frightened twelve-year-old and took his hands.

"Scott," he whispered.

"Alex!" Scott cried, relieved.

"Shh," Erik snapped, on edge.

"We have to be quiet," Alex told him, "There are bad men here too, so we mustn't be heard." Scott nodded, eyes wide. "Come on." They led Scott back the way they'd come, Alex carefully guiding him so he didn't walk into anything.

 _Hurry up,_ said Charles suddenly,  _They've heard you, we're trying to lead them off, but there's a lot of them, and it's hard. You need to get out of there._

They quickened their pace as best they could and Erik switched his torch back on to help see, but Scott was struggling and the CIA were still gaining.

 _Anything you can do to help Charles._ Raven growled as she nearly tripped over a tree root.

 _We're trying, hang on._ Charles replied tersely, sounding strained. Thirty seconds later all sound behind them stopped.

 _They're frozen but we can't hold them very long,_ Emma told them.  _You'll have to hurry._

The party reached the car just as Charles' and Emma's hold broke and they dived in, Scott sitting on Alex lap, because of the lack of space. Erik drove away as soon as the doors were all closed and the agents were left to stumble out of the woods to an empty road.

 

When they arrived back at the mansion Alex settled Scott into the room next to his while Charles and Erik descended to the lab to check on Hank, who Charles had asked to find or develop something that could be resistant to Scott's powers to help him while he learnt to control it.

Hank looked up as they entered.

"I think I've found something."

"What?" Charles wheeled himself over to the lab bench.

"Ruby quartz. All my experiments show it to be resistant to the energy Alex produces which appears to be the same as Scott's optic blasts, so I though we could make some into glasses for him, and perhaps something for when he is sleeping as well."

"Very well done Hank," Charles said warmly, "And I think you should tell Scott the good news to." Hank nodded and followed them to Scott's room.

Scott was very relieved by Hank's discovery.

"Am I still a bozo now Alex?" Hank joked as he was leaving.

"Of course. But thank you." Alex told him, words softened by the protective smile on his face as he looked after Scott.

 

Hank worked hard all night and soon produced both glasses and sleep mask for Scott. He and Alex took Scott to the danger room to test them. Alex helped Scott put them on, then stood back as Scott slowly opened his eyes. Nothing happened and Scott grinned.

"They work!"

"Yes they do," said Hank, a little amused.

 

But months later Scott was no closer to being able to control his power at all, and was nearly despairing. In the end Hank made him a visor so he could control and use it that way, and he practised with that instead, but Charles always wondered why. No other child at his school had that difficulty and it bothered Charles more than he ever admitted to anyone other than Erik.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay. I'm going to stop making promises I really can't keep but I am going to be writing up more in my revision breaks this holiday so keep an eye out


	6. One day...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An epilogue of sorts, to finish the story off

Erik held Charles hand happily, feeling through his power the wedding bands on both their fingers. It had taken him hours to choose the right ring for Charles, and days more to work up the courage to ask for his hand, but he had, and Charles had, of course, said yes. It was, thought Erik, the happiest day of his life. Charles smiled at him, having caught a glimpse of his thoughts, and rested his head on Erik's shoulder as they watched the children laugh and dine around them. They were holding the reception in the grand dining room of the mansion, used now for school meals, decorated with flowers and drapery for the occasion, which Emma and Raven had taken great delight in choosing. The school was thriving and though things weren't perfect for mutants, and likely never would be, the majority of people accepted them as part of society. Erik ran his hand tenderly through Charles hair and smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been an embarrassingly long time for me to write this up, but it's done now, and I'd just like to say thank you to anyone who has left comments and kudos, I really appreciate it


End file.
